No shocker: Chiefs cut veterans

Posted: Friday, February 29, 2008

By Rick Dean

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The handwriting was on the wall. The Kansas City Chiefs are determined to get younger, and older veterans such as Ty Law, Eddie Kennison, Jason Dunn and Casey Wiegmann knew they no longer fit in the team's long-range plans.

So it was no surprise, really, when the Chiefs this week cut ties with players who once were among their most accomplished contributors.

Law, a prospective Hall of Fame cornerback after winning three Super Bowl rings in New England, was among six 30-something veterans released prior to today's opening day of free agency. The 34-year-old Law, after just two seasons in Kansas City, got his walking papers along with tight end Dunn, defensive tackle James Reed and linebacker Kendrell Bell. The Chiefs announced the release of wide receiver Kennison and guard John Welbourn earlier.

"I had a great visit with Ty after the season," Edwards said in a KCSP radio interview Thursday. "He knew what was happening. He anticipated this would happen. It's his time to move on. He said, 'Coach, the quicker the better.' "

Wiegmann, the Chiefs starting center since 2001, is a 34-year-old unrestricted free agent who has been told he will not be offered a contract by the Chiefs. Kansas City also is not expected to pursue several of its younger free agents —fullback/tight end Kris Wilson, receiver Samie Parker and linebacker Keyaron Fox.

But trimming the roster to get younger is not an especially difficult task.

Getting better by using younger players is the tough part.

And it's not as if the Chiefs have a cupboard full of players wanting to fill vacanies at cornerback, center and wide receiver. In fact, it's more accurate to say Kansas City currently has little on hand at those positions.

That's especially true at Law's spot.

The Chiefs appear ready to give veteran Patrick Surtain, who will be 32 this season, another shot at one corner. But their No. 3 corner last year, Benny Sapp, is an unrestricted free agent who might not get a contract offer from Kansas City. The Chiefs also played rookie Tyron Brackenridge and second-year player Dimitri Patterson last year, but neither played with much distinction.

"We've got some guys we feel can compete for the position," Edwards said. "They're all maybes, but then there's also the draft and free agency.

"There are more (cornerbacks) in this draft than there were last year, and there's more in the second and third rounds. As bad as our year was (4-12), the only good thing is that you're picking high in every round."

On the offensive line the Chiefs could move Pro Bowl guard Brian Waters to center, where he once played. They have a talented but unproven guard candidate in Rudy Niswanger, and a possible tackle in Will Svitek.

But as is the case with the cornerback prospects, "maybe" is the key word for most of Kansas City's prospective replacements.

"We could end up opening day with two rookie corners starting," Edwards said with a shrug. "If that's what it is, that's what you do. There could be some rookie offensive linemen, who knows? There could be another rookie wide receiver playing.

"We're going to find the players we feel give us the best chance of winning, and if they're rookies, so be it."

Chiefs retain Colquitt

The Chiefs managed to keep punter Dustin Colquitt off the free agent market Thursday when they agreed to a five-year deal with their accomplished third-year punter. Colquitt, No. 5 in the league last year in net punting, would have been a restricted free agent had he not come to terms on a contract.